1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of broadcasting channel selection, and more particularly to a real time channel grouping capable of easily switching preference channels among broadcasting channels for each desired time.
2. Description of the Related Art
At present, there are various channels broadcasted across the country from ground wave to cable. About 280 channels have been assigned for ground wave and cable broadcasting, and 9999 channels (in case no minor channels are provided) or 999 channels (in case minor channels are provided) are provided for digital satellite system (DSS).
However, not every user regularly watches so many channels. Usually, viewers watch their favorite channels on certain days and at specific times among the many channels. Therefore, in order for a user to watch his favorite channels for specific days and times, it takes a substantial amount of time to select the desired viewing channels among the many available channels.
An approach to overcome the above-mentioned problem is a method of providing preference channel list. For example, the preference channel list is a system in which the channels or programs that the user frequently watches or likes are stored as the preference channel list.
An example of technology using the preference channel list is disclosed in Korean laid-open patent publication 2002-0088220. The preference channel setting and switching method according to the related art will be described with reference to the attached drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the television configuration disclosed in the publication, FIGS. 2a and 2b are flow charts describing a method of giving a priority rank to the preference channel disclosed in the publication, and FIG. 3 shows an embodiment listing the priority rank of the preference channels disclosed in the publication.
As shown in FIG. 1, the television configuration disclosed in the publication comprises a key input processing unit 10 for determining whether or not the respective preference channels inputted through an external input means (not shown) by a user are set, and processing the preference channel information according to the priority rank for the respective preference channels; a controlling unit 11 for allowing the preference channels to be switched based on the preference channel information; a first memory unit 12 for temporarily storing the preference channel information selected by the user; a second memory unit 20 for storing the list of the preference channels and the preference channel information, if the preference channel information is finally set for each channel; I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit) driving unit 21 for controlling the I2C bus, so that the preference channel list and the preference channel information can be stored in the second memory 20; and an image signal processing unit 22 for processing the image signal received from the external input means depending on the user's channel selection.
The external input means may be a key panel mounted on a remote controller or on a television unit. The user inputs a channel to be designated as the preference channel and the priority rank for the designated channel using the external input means. Such preference channel information as whether or not the preference channel is designated and the priority rank thereof, inputted through the external input means, is inputted to the controlling unit 11 via the key input processing unit 10. Then, the controlling unit 11 allows the preference channel list and the preference channel information to be stored in the first and second memories 12 and 20 by processing preference channel information such as whether the preference channel is designated and the priority rank thereof. Based on the preference channel information, the preference channel is switched, if there exists the external input. The preference channel information is processed by the controlling unit 11 and then stored in the first memory 12, and the I2C driving unit 21 provides data communication so that the preference channel list and the preference channel information can be stored in the second memory 20. Here, the preference channel list and the preference channel information stored in the second memory 20 are the information inputted in the channel editing mode by the user, the information being such that the designation of the preference channel and the setting of the priority rank thereof has been completed.
In addition, the second memory unit 20 may be updated based on the user's setting. At this time, the storage type of the preference channel information is as follows. For example, a first bit indicates whether or not the preference channel is designated, that is, the preference channel or other general channel, and a fourth bit and a fifth bit indicate the priority rank for the preference channel. If the values of the fourth bit and the fifth bit are “0, 1”, respectively, this indicates the preference channel having the lowest priority; if the values of the fourth bit and the fifth bit are “1, 0”, respectively, this indicates the preference channel having the middle priority; and if the values of the fourth bit and the fifth bit are “1, 1”, respectively, this indicates the preference channel having the highest priority. As described above, the usage of two or more bits allows the priority rank for the preference channel to be given.
If the user comes to input the preference channel function key during the operation of the broadcasting mode by the completion of the setting of the preference channel and the priority rank thereof, the switching operation of the preference channel is performed according to the preference channel list and the preference channel information stored in second memory 20.
Hereinafter, with reference to the attached drawings, description will be made of a method in which the preference channel is set and the priority rank thereof is given as disclosed in the publication. As shown in FIG. 2A, the user first selects a channel setting edit mode in an automatic channel state (steps S31-S32). Then, the user selects a channel in the channel setting edit mode via the remote controller or key panel (step S33), and determines if the selected channel is set as a preference channel (step S34). As the result of the determination (S34), if the user wishes to set the selected channel as the preference channel, the user registers/stores the selected channel in the preference channel list via the preference channel key of the remote controller or key panel and simultaneously gives the priority rank for that preference channel (step S35). Subsequently, the user can interrupt the channel setting edit mode (step S36), and if it is not interrupted, the user can select another channel and the above-described procedures (step S37) are iteratively performed.
Here, the method in which the priority rank for the preference channel is given is, for example, a scheme for displaying specific symbol in such a way that if the user selects channel 7 (CH7) once, one specific symbol is displayed, and if the user selects channel 7 (CH7) three times, three specific symbols are displayed, thereby reflecting the priority rank for the preference channel.
Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 3, the channels corresponding to TV general broadcasting (or ground wave broadcasting) are channel 2 denoted by shading, channel 6, channel 7, channel 13, channel 14, channel 16, channel 27, channel 35, channel 37, channel 40, and channel 45, and among these channels, channel 7, channel 13, channel 16, channel 27, channel 35 and channel 45 that are denoted by a specific symbol are the preference channels.
Also, the channel sequence of the preference channels is channel 7, channel 13, channel 16, channel 35, channel 27, and channel 45, that is, the priority sequence from channels 7 and 13 having a larger number of the channel preference symbols to channels 27 and 45 having a lesser number of the channel preference symbols.
Accordingly, since the user gives the priority rank for the set respective preference channels, it is possible to improve the efficiency of the preference channel search/switch.
Hereinafter, with reference to the attached drawings, description will be made of an embodiment of an operation of a television having the preference channel set and having the priority rank for the preference channels set.
As shown in FIG. 2B, the user first turns ON the power of digital TV (step S41), and sets receiving mode (step S42). In this case, in setting the receiving mode, the user sets whether the receiving mode is a general broadcasting mode including ground wave broadcasting, cable broadcasting, digital broadcasting, or an external input mode including DVD, VCR. It is determined if the receiving mode selected by the user, i.e., the present watching mode is the general broadcasting mode (step S43).
As the result of the determination (S43), if it is determined not to be the general broadcasting mode, the watching mode such as DVD, VCR corresponding to the external input mode selected by the user is performed (step S45). If it is determined to be the general broadcasting mode, the general broadcasting mode is performed (step S44). Then, if the input of the preference channel function key is carried out by the user while watching the general broadcasting (step S46), the channel is switched depending on the sequence of the priority rank given the channels registered in the preference channel list (step S47). For example, if the user inputs the preference channel function key via the external input means while watching the TV general broadcasting channel 14, the channel switching is performed starting from the favorite channel, that is, in the order of CH7, CH13, CH16, CH35, CH27, CH45, according to the priority rank for the preference channel set by the user. The sequence to be displayed is determined based on the level of importance of the priority rank.
As a consequence, if the user gives the priority rank for the preference channel and inputs the preference channel function key while watching the digital TV, the channel switching is performed according to the given priority rank.
However, in the preference channel setting method according to the related art, there is a problem that since the preference channel is set among the broadcasting channels that are watched, after the setting of the preference channel, although the sequence to be displayed (the sequence to be displayed being determined based on the importance of the priority rank) is manually determined and inputted, many steps are necessary to determine the preference channel, and it is difficult to do so quickly. In addition, in case too many preference channels are set, there is another problem, namely that it is very time consuming to search for a desired channel even among the preference channels. In other words, unless the user thinks of the sequence of the screen that he seeks to watch, the user needs to wait for a long time until the desired channel is displayed.